Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls on with balloons, bands, security

A Charlie Brown balloon moves along Central Park West during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017. Craig Ruttle / AP

“Not a lot’s changed — the balloons, the bands, the floats — and that’s the good thing,” said Seyforth, 76, who’d attended the parade in person a few times before. “The crowds are still the same, but there’s a lot more police here. That’s the age we live in.”

Smokey Robinson, The Roots, Flo Rida and Wyclef Jean were among the stars celebrating, along with performances from the casts of Broadway’s “Anastasia,” ”Dear Evan Hansen” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.” The lineup included a dozen marching bands, as well as the high-kicking Radio City Music Hall Rockettes — and, of course, Santa Claus.

“This is my favorite thing ever,” musician Questlove told The Associated Press as he got ready to ride the Gibson Guitars float with his bandmates in The Roots and late-night host Jimmy Fallon of “The Tonight Show,” where The Roots are the house band. Questlove said being in the parade is “probably my favorite perk” of the job.

“To go from being a spectator to being up here, it’s kinda cool,” he said.

Added singer-songwriter Andy Grammer as he got on the Homewood Suites float: “It’s kind of like being at the center of Thanksgiving.”